Mich. Admin. Code R. 400.8204 - Early childhood center, small capacity child care center, and outdoor nature-based child care center program administrator qualifications; responsibilities

Rule 204.

(1) Before hiring a new program administrator, a licensee or licensee designee shall submit the credentials of the proposed program administrator to the department for review and approval in the manner prescribed by the department.
(2) All program administrators are responsible for the general management of the center, including the following minimum responsibilities:
(a) Developing, implementing, and evaluating program and center policies.
(b) Administering day-to-day operations, including being available to address parent, child, and staff issues.
(c) Monitoring staff, including annual evaluations.
(3) A program administrator can oversee multiple sites if all of the following are met:
(a) Is immediately available for not less than 5 sessions during 30 consecutive open days within the center. Consecutive open days do not include days that are closed for holidays, planned closed days, or emergency closures.
(b) Maintain written documentation of visits, including dates and times.
(c) Appoint a site administrator when the program administrator is not on the premises.
(4) A program administrator of a single site shall appoint a staff-in-charge when the program administrator is not on the premises and is responsible for supervising the operation of the center including, but not limited to, having the authority to respond to emergencies, inspections, parental concerns, and have access to all required information.
(5) A staff-in-charge shall be present at the center during all hours of operation when the program administrator, who is overseeing a single site, is not on the premises.
(6) A substitute program administrator shall be appointed for a program administrator who has left employment or has a temporary absence that exceeds 30 consecutive workdays until return or replacement, which must not exceed the agreedon timeframe.
(7) The department shall be notified when a substitute program administrator is appointed.
(8) A substitute program administrator shall at least meet the qualifications of lead teacher.
(9) A program administrator shall have all of the following qualifications:
(a) Be not less than 21 years of age.
(b) Have a high school diploma or general equivalency diploma (GED).
(c) Have not less than 2 semester hours or 3.0 CEUs in child care administration within 6 months of hire.
(10) A program administrator is exempt from subrule (2)(c) of this rule if there is a central administrator that complies with both of the following:
(a) Meets the requirements of a program administrator in subrule (9) of this rule.
(b) Is responsible for subrules (2)(a) and (c) of this rule.
(11) A program administrator of a small capacity center shall meet 1 of the following to be qualified:
(a) All of the following:
(i) A minimum of 1 year of experience.
(ii) 3 hours of MiRegistry approved training in each of the following areas:
(A) Program management.
(B) Observation, documentation, and assessment.
(C) Teaching and learning.
(iii) 6 hours of MiRegistry approved training in any of the following areas:
(A) Interactions and guidance.
(B) Challenging behaviors.
(C) Trauma informed practices.
(iv) Works in a center that participates in great start to quality.
(b) All of the following:
(i) A minimum of 6 months of experience.
(ii) 6 semester hours, 9 CEUs, or a combination to equal 90 clock hours of coursework in child care administration, early childhood education, child development, youth development, or a child-related field. Up to 30 hours of MiRegistry-approved training may be used to meet these requirements.
(iii) Works in a center that participates in great start to quality.
(c) A valid child development associate credential, Montessori credential, Michigan youth development associate certificate or credential, infant family associate credential, or associate degree or higher in any field of study.
(12) A program administrator of an early childhood center or outdoor nature-based child care center shall meet 1 of the following to be qualified:
(a) All of the following:
(i) A minimum of 3 months of experience.
(ii) A valid child development associate credential, Montessori credential, infant family associate credential, or associate degree in a child-related field.
(iii) Works in a center that participates in great start to quality.
(b) All of the following:
(i) A minimum of 6 months of experience.
(ii) An associate degree or higher in any field of study.
(iii) 3 hours of MiRegistry approved training in each of the following areas:
(A) Program management.
(B) Observation, documentation, and assessment.
(C) Teaching and learning.
(iv) 6 hours of MiRegistry approved training in any of the following areas:
(A) Interactions and guidance.
(B) Challenging behaviors.
(C) Trauma informed practices.
(v) Works in a center that participates in great start to quality.
(c) A bachelor's degree or higher in a child-related field.
(13) A program director who was qualified on the director's date of hire remains qualified as a program administrator as of the effective date of this rule as long as the program director remains continuously employed as a program administrator at the center or at another licensed center without a break in service of more than 180 days. Any variances approved as of the effective date of this rule remain effective and timeframes required in the variance must be met. Any variance requirements not completed by 4 years after the effective date of this rule will be voided.
(14) A substitute director who was qualified on the substitute's director's date of hire remains qualified as a substitute program administrator as of the effective date of this rule as long as the substitute director remains continuously employed as a substitute program administrator at the center or at another licensed center without a break in service of more than 180 days. Any variances approved as of the effective date of this rule remain effective and timeframes required in the variance must be met. Any variance requirements not completed by 4 years after the effective date of this rule will be voided.
(15) Verification of the qualifications of the program administrator, substitute program administrator, and the central administrator if the option in subrule (8) of this rule is used, must be maintained on file at the center or at the central office until 2 years after the effective date of this rule, after which qualifications must be reflected as verified in MiRegistry.

Notes

Mich. Admin. Code R. 400.8204
2025 MR 10, Eff. 5/7/2025
An obvious error in R 400.8204 was corrected at the request of the promulgating agency, pursuant to Section 56 of 1969 PA 306, as amended by 2000 PA 262, MCL 24.256. The rule containing the error was published in Michigan Register, 2025 MR 10. The memorandum requesting the correction was published in Michigan Register, 2025 MR 11.

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